In this astonishing situation Dode saw but one factor—the money. Knowing nothing of the second prospector’s offer, he could not realize what it was that so infuriated the old man and had finally completely upset his mind. As the latter jigged and screamed and threw the money about he fell upon him with the energy of a wildcat and, having toppled him over and wrested the remainder of the cash from him, he held him safely down, the while he called to his sister and mother, “Pick up the money, cantcha? Pick up the money an’ git a rope, cantcha? Git a rope! Cantcha see he’s done gone plum daffy? He’s outen his head, I tell yuh. He’s crazy, he is, shore! Git a rope!” and eyeing the money now being assembled by his helpful relatives, he pressed the struggling maniac’s body to the floor. When the latter was safely tied and the money returned, the affectionate son arose and, having once more recounted his share in order to see that it was all there, he was content to look about him somewhat more kindly on an all too treacherous world. Then, seeing the old man where he was trussed like a fowl for market, he added, somewhat sympathetically, it may be: “Well, who’d ’a’ thort! Pore ol’ Pap! I do b’lieve he’s outen his mind for shore this time! He’s clean gone—plum daffy.” “Yes, that’s whut he is, I do b’lieve,” added Mrs. Queeder with a modicum of wifely interest, yet more concerned at that with her part of the money than anything else. Then Dode, his mother and sister began most unconcernedly to speculate as to what if anything was next to be done with the old farmer, the while the latter rolled a vacant eye over a scene he was no longer able to interpret. X MARRIAGE—FOR ONE